Gambling harms
There will be a Westminster Hall debate on gambling harms on 5 February 2025. The debate will be opened by Alex Ballinger MP.
The Gambling Act 2005 (as amended) regulates gambling in Great Britain. The Act has three licensing objectives:
- preventing gambling from being a source of crime or disorder, being associated with crime or disorder or being used to support crime.
- ensuring that gambling is conducted in a fair and open way.
- protecting children and other vulnerable persons from being harmed or exploited by gambling.
The Gambling Commission enforces the act. The commission issues operating licences for gambling operators and publishes licence conditions and codes of practice (LCCP). Local authorities are responsible for issuing premises licences to authorise premises to provide gambling facilities. Gambling Commission guidance for local authorities (April 2023) gives further detail on the statutory framework and the role of local authorities.
There is a Library briefing, Gambling advertising: How is it regulated? (PDF), which provides information on the regulation of gambling advertising.
Government policyIn its June 2024 manifesto, the Labour Party committed to reducing gambling-related harm by reforming gambling regulation and strengthening protections.
In November 2024, the government announced plans to introduce a statutory levy on gambling operators. The announcement also confirmed plans to tackle gambling addiction by introducing online slot stake limits of £5 for over 25s and £2 for young adults aged 18 to 24. The announcement described these changes as the government’s “first steps towards strengthening gambling harm legislation”.
On the application of the levy, the announcement states:
The levy will be charged to all licensed gambling activity at varying levels depending on the sector and nature of the gambling activity to ensure impacts are proportionate. Rates take into account the difference in operating costs and the levels of harmful gambling associated with different gambling activities.
The announcement further notes:
Under the current voluntary system not all gambling companies contribute equally, with some operators paying as little as £1 a year towards research, prevention and treatment. The new mandatory levy will ensure all operators contribute a fair share.
The mandated levy would “generate £100 million”, 50% of which will be directed to NHS England and appropriate bodies in Scotland and Wales. Another 30% will be directed towards investment in the prevention of gambling harms while the remaining 20% will be directed to UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the Gambling Commission to develop bespoke research programmes on gambling.
Responses to the gambling levy announcementIn response to the announcement, Mark Weiss, Deputy CEO and Director of Communications and External Affairs at GamCare, commented:
We welcome today’s announcement from the Government on the statutory levy and look forward to working with the NHS, other providers and future commissioners to ensure the success of the new treatment, prevention and research system
… Just as we welcome this renewed focus on treatment, we recognise the importance of protecting vulnerable people, particularly children, before harms escalate. That’s why we welcome the Government’s emphasis on prevention. Having witnessed a steep rise in our Helpline callers citing difficulties with online slots, GamCare further welcomes the introduction of new youth-focussed stake limits – an important step in preventing future harm.
In a joint statement, Zoë Osmond, CEO of GambleAware and Prof. Siân Griffiths CBE, public health expert and Chair of GambleAware Trustees, stated:
We welcome the Government’s plans for the new statutory levy on the gambling industry, alongside the introduction of lower online stake limits. This represents a significant step towards protecting people from gambling harm…
Monica Shafaq, CEO of Gordon Moody, stated:
Gordon Moody supports the principle of the new statutory gambling levy on the basis that it will bring more money into the system allowing for greater support for those in need of treatment. The levy will fundamentally change how the UK funds and commissions gambling treatment services…
Claire Murdoch, NHS National Director for Mental Health, said:
I am delighted to welcome this commitment to a mandatory gambling levy which the NHS, bereaved families and the voluntary sector have been calling for so we can treat this growing problem – and we will continue to work with government to do all we can to protect problem gamblers from this billion-pound industry.
Nikki Bond, Head of the Gambling Harms Action Lab at the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute, said:
…The new mandatory levy is a welcome step that will bring vital funding for frontline services and for other initiatives to tackle gambling harms, which should ensure more people affected by these issues can get the treatment and support they need.
…It’s important that this funding is not confined to academic research, education and clinical treatment. Funding should also be extended to practical initiatives putting research to tackle gambling harms into tangible action on the part of gambling operators, banks and other organisations who can make a difference. That will be critical in ensuring that the levy brings immediate benefits to people experiencing gambling harms now and in the coming years.
In its reaction, the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) stated:
The BGC supported plans outlined in the White Paper published last year to reform stake limits and introduce a mandatory levy to fund Research, Prevention and treatment.
BGC members voluntarily contributed over £170m over the last four years to tackle problem gambling and gambling related harm, including £50m this year alone, funding an independent network of charities currently caring for 85 per cent of all problem gamblers receiving treatment in Britain.
Ministers must not lose sight of the fact that the vast majority of the 22.5m people who enjoy a bet each month, on the lottery, in bookmakers, casinos, bingo halls and online, do so safely, while the most recent NHS Health Survey for England estimated that just 0.4 per cent of the adult population are problem gamblers.
The tone of this announcement suggests Government is at risk of losing perspective of these facts, while simply dancing to the tune of anti-gambling prohibitionists, which serves no one.
In its response, The Bingo Association stated:
The Bingo Association is dismayed and angered to learn of the changes to the amount of Levy that licensed bingo premises are required to pay as part of the statutory levy, announced earlier today. This is a doubling of the amount indicated in the White Paper proposals announced by the previous government and the amount the industry was contributing under the voluntary scheme.
This change will impact Bingo clubs by an additional £600k a year, coming on top of the recently announced measures in the budget which will cost around £12m.
…We fear for the future of licensed bingo clubs and their 7,000 employees; it is becoming increasingly difficult to see a future for this great industry in the current environment.
Further resourcesThe House of Lords library has published a briefing on the impact of gambling marketing (April 2024).
Parliamentary questions- Gambling: Young people 21 January 2025 | UIN 25166
- Gambling: Internet 20 January 2025 | UIN 24846
- Gambling Advertising 10 January 2025 | UIN 23125
- Gambling: Mental Health Services 6 January 2025 | UIN HL3766
- Gambling: Taxation 19 December 2024 | UIN 21257
- Gambling: Reform 18 December 2024 | UIN 21218
- Gambling: Education 2 December 2024 | UIN 17340
- Suicide: Gambling 30 October 2024 | UIN HL2146
- GambleAware – a charity that aims to provide free advice, tools, and support to keep people safe from gambling harm.
- GamCare – a charity that aims to provide structured support for anyone who is harmed by gambling.
- Gordon Moody – a charity that aims to provide residential treatment and support for gambling-related harm.